Join us online for this free festival celebrating French-speaking cultures.
Now in its tenth year, Seattle's French Fest is a part of Seattle Center’s FESTÁL cultural event series. This free, public festival celebrates the diversity of the traditions, ideas, dialects, and more, that comprise these Francophone (French-speaking) cultures from around the world. It draws its inspiration from “International Francophonie Day,” organized in over 100 countries every March 20, to celebrate the diversity of French-speaking cultures and traditions.
French Fest is organized by the nonprofit organization, France Education Northwest, with the support of Seattle Center FESTÁL and the French-American Chamber of Commerce of the Pacific Northwest, in partnership with the Consulate General of France in San Francisco and the Consulate General of Canada in Seattle. With the support of the Consulate General of Canada, we are pleased to introduce you to this year’s MC, Frédéric Choinière. We are thrilled to have him here representing a part of the francophone community!
Gastronomy is the theme of French Fest this year!
Schedule
| 10:00 - 10:15 | French Fest 2022 Official Opening |
| 10:15 - 11:15 | Virtual visit of the Chateau de Goulaine and live cooking demo by Chef Didier Poirier |
| 11:30 - 12:00 | Visit of the Lantern Brewery with the Seattle Nantes Sister City Association |
| 12:15 - 12:45 | Culinary Experience |
| 13:00 - 14:00 | French song from The Beau Goss Band French Schools and After School Programs in Seattle area |
Speaker(s)
French Fest 2022 Official Opening
OFFICIAL OPENING
Frédéric Choinière, Master of Ceremonies
Didier Poirier, FEN President / Ariane Ogier, FACC-PNW & FEN Executive Director, Honorary Consul of France in Seattle
Frédéric Jung, General Consul of France in San Francisco
Mia Yen, General Consul of Canada in Seattle
Philippe Goetschel, Honorary Consul of Switzerland in Seattle
Lisa Herbold, Council Member - City of Seattle
Virtual Visit to the Chateau de Goulaine (Nantes) & Cooking live demo with chef Didier Poirier
The Seattle-Nantes Sister City Association is pleased to present a tour of the Chateau de Goulaine, a Renaissance chateau in the Loire valley just outside of Nantes. Protected by the marshes of Goulaine and classified by ‘Natura 2000’, this peaceful castle, rises out of the mists, revealing its treasures, which include its 15th century kitchens. Legend has it that the beurre blanc sauce was invented here in the late 19th century when the Marquis de Goulaine’s chef ran out of eggs while making a bearnaise sauce and had to improvise. After the tour and conversation with a member of the family de Goulaine, Chef Didier Poirier will prepare this delicious sauce.
Visit of the Lantern Brewery with the Seattle Nantes Sister City Association
Founded in 1980, Seattle-Nantes Sister City Association celebrated 42 years of friendship between Seattle and Nantes, France. The Association is composed of individuals and organizations interested in promoting close ties between the people of the two cities. Our goal is to advance educational and cultural relations between Seattle and Nantes and to inform and educate the public about Seattle’s sister city.
We will meet the brewer of the Seattle-Nantes Sister City Beer, Chris Engdahl of Lantern Brewing, who will give us the secret behind this special beer that celebrate the friendship between Seattle and Nantes.
Culinary Experience
We have the pleasure to welcome three French Chefs!
- Chocolatier Anne-Laure Ropars will show us how to temper chocolate for making your perfect chocolate-dipped strawberry for your next picnic.
- Come learn how to cook Crème brulée with Pastry Chef Laurence Boris, who will do a live demonstration of preparing this classic French dessert consisting of a custard topped with caramelized sugar.
- Pastry Chef Orphée Fouano will then share through a video his secret for preparing Brioches.
French Schools and After School Programs in the Puget Sound
Interested in Francophone and French cultures? The Greater Seattle area has many schools and after school programs that teach French or teach through French. They have prepared for you activities & games around the theme of gastronomy.
Winning Prize:
Schools and after-school programs will offer an assortment of Children’s books in English and French and Made in France will offer an autographed book by Orianne Lallemand (Children's Author of The Wolf Who Wanted to Change His Color)
Schools
Come and discover four independent schools that are dedicated to educating bilingual students: French American School of Puget Sound, French Immersion School of Washington, Les Lilas French Bilingual community School, North Seattle French School. Our programs are unique, offering engaging and challenging curricula taught by outstanding teachers in French and English.
After School Program
Come and discover after-school programs that offer French classes and activities in French for all ages: Alliance Française.
French song from The Beau Goss Band
Enjoy the Beau Goss Band featuring an original song in French!
Virtual Screening of a Movie from Quebec: Maria
In partnership with the Québec Government Office in Los Angeles and L'Alliance Française de Seattle
For three days during and after French Fest, enjoy the free Virtual Screening of Maria, a movie from Quebec.
Register to receive the link to view the movie: A code will be provided to attendees for the virtual screening taking place between March 20-23.
We invite you then to register to the Ciné-Salon Spécial Québec organized by L'Alliance Française de Seattle.
Date: 03/24 from 5pm to 6pm
Maria | Ciné-Salon Spécial Québec (afseattle.org)
Maria
Directed by Alec Pronovost • 2021 • Canada • 90 min
Starring Mariana Mazza, Alice Pascual, Florence Longpré
As her mother is dying of cancer, a woman in her 30s tries to reach professional success before her mother passes. She takes a job as a high school substitute teacher and tries to find her place amid the difficult environment.
Thank you to all our sponsors
